"If they were going to send me somewhere else, why not do it the first time?" Wilhelm grumbled inwardly.
He now found himself alone in an infinite, white space. Directly in front of him stood a mirror with a brief message etched on its surface:
[Touch the mirror to awaken the attribute.]
Since there was nothing else in sight, Wilhelm slowly approached the mirror. But instead of his own reflection, he saw something deeply unsettling—a distorted circle.
Wilhelm's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back, horror coursing through him. It was the same circle from his dreams. Yet now it appeared even clearer. What he'd once thought of as a distorted circle was actually cracked, with intricate inscriptions lining its edges.
The symbols seemed to pulse, making him feel nauseous just looking at them. Covering his mouth, Wilhelm stretched out his hand and touched the mirror.
SHOON!
A strange hum reverberated as the mirror glowed with a bluish hue.
BOOM!
An explosion sounded in Wilhelm's mind, but rather than disorient him, his awareness sharpened, heightening his senses. New words materialized on the mirror:
[Attribute detected.
Entrance Examination Status - Pass
Assessing Talent
Talent - 1
Assigning Class…
Class - Siegfried]
At that moment, a voice echoed from within him.
"Release me."
It felt as though his brain had been plunged into ice, pain flooding his mind.
"What… what is this?" Wilhelm's voice trembled with fear.
The mirror distorted again, revealing a pair of glaring eyes.
"Who are you?" Wilhelm asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"Who are you?" the figure in the mirror echoed back.
They both stared, locked in mutual shock and curiosity. Wilhelm couldn't look away from the figure's cyan eyes, feeling an unsettling chill. He sensed that this being could see more than his physical appearance—it seemed as if those eyes looked directly into his soul.
Before any more words could be exchanged, the figure vanished, leaving Wilhelm feeling an intense pull. Just before he was entirely sucked back, a flash of light leapt from the mirror and attached itself to his chest.
[Alignment Achieved. Siegfried System Binding Complete.]
More words appeared in front of Wilhelm, deepening his confusion. And then, once again, he was transported.
The constant teleportation left Wilhelm feeling like he might actually throw up this time. But just as the nausea surged, a cool sensation from within him calmed the urge, allowing him to regain his focus.
He was now in a grand hall filled with others his age. Judging by the fact that more than half of them were covering their mouths, they seemed just as disoriented from being transported so many times.
In front of the crowd stood a raised wooden platform that made the speaker clearly visible to all.
[Now, I understand you're all confused, and that's natural. So, in accordance with protocol, everything will be explained.]
A figure dressed entirely in white materialized on the platform, taking a seat in an elegantly summoned chair.
[This appearance was chosen based on several factors for your comfort, so set that aside and focus on my explanations.]
The figure looked across the crowd, pausing as they observed the students' expressions. With a resigned sigh, they snapped their fingers.
Immediately, Wilhelm felt the nausea dissipate, his body feeling much better.
[Apologies. We're still working out the kinks in our entrance process,] the figure said plainly before continuing.
[Now, Attributes—what are they? Consider them unique abilities that qualify you for selection into this branch of the Academy. Many of you, particularly those from the Three Noble Houses, may assume this Academy is similar to others. It's not. This Academy is reserved for the most gifted among the gifted—those whose futures hold the potential to reach sainthood.]
The mention of sainthood didn't shock Wilhelm, as he was neither from a noble house nor entirely unfamiliar with the idea of special abilities, especially after his recent dreams.
[This Academy follows a unique structure: there are only four grades, each spanning three years, totaling 12 years. If you persevere, we guarantee you'll emerge as a Saint—if, that is, you live to see the end of these twelve years,] the figure stated with an expression somewhere between warning and indifference, pausing to gauge the students' reactions.
[Oh well,] the figure shrugged, pressing on.
[Our classes are divided into two ranks: Brunhilde for the standard students, and Siegfried for the exceptionally gifted. Each of you will be assigned a private dorm in a sealed dimension, which you can use to travel to classes and various amenities within the Academy. There are three main subjects here: Combat, covering both theory and practical skills; Aether Techniques, where you'll study cultivation practices and learn the most effective techniques based on your abilities; and finally, History.]
With another pause, the figure signaled the end of a section of their speech, letting the weight of the words settle before they continued.
[Now, you may have noticed a few words appeared when the mirror examined your attribute. That display is part of The System, constructed by the Divine Alliance specifically for the Western Academy..]
[The System is designed to gauge your strength and display it efficiently, without needing any help from superiors. It also contains a currency feature, allowing you to exchange contribution points—each of you will start with 100—for various items and amenities. Additionally, it hosts a messaging system that links to the System's mainframe, letting you chat with friends across the Academy.]
[The Siegfried System includes two additional abilities: Spatial Storage, for storing items, and Analysis, which allows you to view another student's strength by accessing the mainframe or inspect items. Ultimately, The System is just a support tool; it won't make you a peerless mage on its own. At the end of each Grade, you'll participate in either a Combat Exchange with other campuses or venture into the End Spaces.] The figure in white paused again.
[That concludes everything. You'll find your timetable in your dorms. Now, get lost.] They snapped their fingers, instantly transporting all the students to their dorms.
Now alone, the figure in white sighed.
"Karsus, I know you're there. You can come out," they said.
From behind the chair stepped a man dressed in formal attire, a monocle perched over his right eye.
"What's with that outfit?" the figure in white snickered in mock disgust.
"It's called fashion; you wouldn't understand," Karsus replied with a smirk.
"Yeah, right. You deities sure have twisted tastes," the figure in white responded, and a glint appeared in Karsus's eye.
"Quasi-deity," Karsus corrected.
"Quasi-deity, deity—to everyone here, is there any real difference? You might as well be one," the figure scoffed.
Karsus chuckled. "Unexpected praise, coming from you."
"But it wasn't unexpected, was it? You always knew." The figure in white remained calm, watching Karsus closely.
Karsus went silent, an unsettling smile creeping across his face. "Aren't you a little bold to be talking back to a quasi-deity?" he said, releasing a trace of his presence.
The figure in white, unfazed, replied, "Since when has god been wary of man?"
With that, Karsus's presence withdrew, and he broke into laughter.
"Hahaha! You really are something! I look forward to our meetings every time." Karsus's grin widened.
The figure raised an eyebrow, then shook their head. "You're nothing if not inconsistent."
Karsus laughed again. "That tends to happen at my level." And with a final chuckle, he vanished from the platform.
The figure in white sat alone, their sigh echoing through the hall.